Puzzles
by Never And Forever X
Summary: Ever wonder why Near always does those puzzles? It all has to do with a thirteen-year-old girl. Reated T for safety, one death. Friendship pairing- NearxOC, Amore.


**I don't own Death Note. Enjoy!**

_**Near's age: 6**_

_**Amore's age: 13**_

"See, Near, you're supposed to fit the pieces together so they make a picture at the end."

The small boy twirled his hair as he watched tho older girl expertly fit the puzzle pieces into place.

Near had never bothered to try completing a puzzle- In his opinion, they were a complete and utter waste of time. "Why do you do so many puzzles?" He looked around the girl's room, filled with boxes and boxes of puzzles.

Amore tapped her chin as she thought. "Here's the thing- when you're working on a puzzle, you can choose either to remember or forget. If you need to think, you can expand your mind to do so. When you've had a horrible day, and just want to ignore everything, you can just come work on a puzzle and your mind will be blank. Get it?"

"Are you thinking or forgetting right now?" Near asked in tiny monotone.

"I'm thinking, because I'm sitting here talking to you. I don't have anything I need to forget at the moment," she replied. Near nodded.

_Every day after school I went to Amore's room to watch her finish puzzles._

"Hey Near," Amore said, "Why don't you ever go play with the other kids? I'm not the only one here, ya know."

Near tilted his head to the side. "Because I like staying in here with you."

Amore smiled and patted Near's head. "Me too."

_Sometimes we talked about different things- school, people, cases, and memories. Other times we sat in comfortable silence, listening to the kids outside playing._

One morning Near walked to Amore's room to find a note taped to the door:

_Dear Near,_

_With the pressure of being first in the house, Dear, I'm afraid the pressure has gotten to me._

_The puzzles are working, but I'm afraid that to deal with the stress I'd need to work on them constantly. And I don't want to turn into a hermet!_

_And I cannot escape this Hell, excuse my language Dear! The only good part of my day is coming to talk to you. _

_I want you to go find Watari. Don't come into my room._

_I would tell you that I'm your gaurdian angel, but it's quite the other way around!_

_Always remember that I love you, I'll see you in quite a few years, I hope._

_Signed, your loving big sister, Amore._

_P.S.: I won't miss you, so don't you miss me; I will always be near, Dear. : )_

Near read the letter over and over, his eyes growing larger in fear every time.

He walked through the halls as if he were in a dream; ignoring the other children completely as if he was in a trance.

Near threw open the door of Watari's office without knocking, and the six-year-old boy marched towards the old man. He grabbed Watari's hand and led him back to Amore's room.

"What is it Near?" Watari asked. "I was busy right then. It wouldn't have hurt to knock, either."

Near simply looked at his best friend's door, half expecting her to come out wondering why he hadn't said good morning yet.

A thought suddenly dawned on Watari. He silently pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the door with a _click. _He peered inside for a few moments, closed the door again, and stared at the small boy with a look of sadness and pity.

The boy fully understood what had happened. He watched as Wataari locked the door again and led him to his room.

Minutes later, an announcement was made that all the children were to retire to their rooms, and that classes were cancelled. Teachers and faculty were to come to Watari's office for a meeting.

Near sat on his bed, too sad to shed a tear, and reread the note.

_I was so sad for a while after she died. She suffocated herself with her favortie hoodie's string._

Amore's funeral was in May. The cheerful weather seemed ironic, with the entire orphanage gathered in black.

She was buried in the churchyard behind the House.

Near stayed with her coffin until it was buried, even after then.

It was odd to see him wearing black instead of his usual innocent white.

_I found something interesting in a dictionary a few days after her funeral: The word Amore means Love. It is an Italian word._

Days of hiding in his room later, Near decided to visit Amore's room. He found there that most of her puzzles had disappeared. Watari was in the room, moving things out.

He noticed Near standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry, Near. We have to move things out to make room for new children."

"Where are the puzzles," Near asked breathlessly.

"We're giving them away, selling them. . ." Watari said regretfully.

Near barely gasped. "I want to keep them."

Near's request was so sorrowful that Watari couldn't find the heart to refuse.

"All right then," Watari ran his hand through his hair. "You'll have to keep them in your room, though."

"Can I move to this room?"

Watari sighed and agreed.

_I didn't like my room. It was dark and gloomy. Her room was bright and happy. I especially liked the big window that looked out on the kids playing outside. It was almost as if I could feel her presence in the room with me._

Eight years later, Near sat in Amore's room, a puzzle laid out in front of him. He expertly put the pieces into place, as she had years before.

He does not do puzzles to forget Amore, but the opposite; He does puzzles to remember the good times he had with her.

And he does not miss her the slightest, because how can you miss some one if they're still here?

*** Note: Amore is not Near's sister biologically.**

*** Note: you might think of Amore as A from the first generation, but as a girl. : )**

**Oi. That took a while to write! I need to get these oneshots off my mind so I can write my multi chaptered ones! Thanks for reading! Reviews would be wonderful!**


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